Quick-attaching coupler-valve



y 24, 1956 G. A. RAYNER, JR 2,756,075

QUICK-ATTACHING COUPLER-VALVE Filed March 22, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.I

E I2 FIG. 2 l 29 44 m 33 7/ 70 I3 8 6 39 H X k- 66 5 9 5' 1 I l 1INVENTOR.

GEORGE A. RAYNER, JR.

y 1956 G. A. RAYNER, JR 2,756,075

QUICK-ATTACHING COUPLER-VALVE Filed March 22, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 6|INVENTOR.

GEORGE A. RAYNER, JR.

8%, w; 7M m m July 24, 1956 G. A RAYNER, JR 2,755,075

QUICK-ATTACHING COUPLER-VALVE Filed March 22, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.8

INVENTOR. GEORGE A. RAYNER, JR.

QUICK-ATTACHIN' G COUPLER-VALVE George A. Rayner, .In, Bangor, MaineApplication March 22, 1954, Serial No. 417,879

7 Claims. (Cl. 284.-.-.17)

My present invention relates. to a double-acting valvular devicecombining in one compact unit a coupling and a valve, useful in thetransfer of fluids from one container or supply to another. Whilesusceptible of employment in various fields the couplerfvalve of theinvention is particularly suited to such applications as fillingportable tanks and containers with pressurized petroleum gas products(bottled gas) in the liquid or gaseous phase, enabling the quickcoupling of the supply line to successive tanks to be filled.

In the drawings, illustrating by way of example certain embodiments ofthe invention:

Fig. 1 shows in elevation a complete coupler-valve unit in use positionas installed at the inlet-outlet valve of a tank such as commonly usedin the liquified petroleum gas industry;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal section of a coupler-valvesuch as that of Fig. 1, shown separately;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view with parts broken away or in horizontalsection, the coupler-valve unit being positioned similarly as Fig. l butin an initial stage of the quick-attaching installation;

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 showing the parts in subsequentattached position but with the valve still closed;

Fig. 5 is a further view corresponding to Figs. 3 and 4 but with thevalve of the attached unit open for fluid flow;

Fig. 6 is an outer end or rear elevational view;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation; and the following figures illustrate amodified coupling portion for. use with externally rather thaninternally threaded receiving connections, and wherein:

Fig. 8 corresponds to Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 corresponds to Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 corresponds to Fig. 4; and

Fig. 11 corresponds to Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings in more particular, I have represented in Fig.1 a portion of a liquified petroleum or similar gas tank T having aninlet-outlet valve V of known or preferred form and having in thisinstance an internally threaded inlet-outlet connection C. Thequickattach coupler-valve unit of my invention, designated as a whole at1, is shown installed at such tank. It has an inlet port 2 to which isaffixed the suitable length of flexible hose or other conduit 12 leadingfrom the filling supply.

The coupler-valve unit 1 of the present invention, whether of the formof Figs. 2 to 5 for connection to internally threaded elements or thatof Figs. 8 to 11 for externally threaded connections, comprises first atubular coupler head 5 having a convex nose 6 adapted for abuttiveseating engagement with the usual tapered or concave aperturedtransverse wall C within the standard internally threaded connection. Acircumferential flange 7 bebind the nose adapts the same head forabuttive engagement with the rim of externally threaded elements as inFigs. 8 to 11. The coupler head 5 further comprises a tubular body 8having at its inner end a plurality of radial ports 9 and having at anintermediate position an annited States Patent 0 p armors Patented July24, 19 56 ice nular flange 10 for clamping engagement with a flexiblediaphragm 11 y m ans of a ecu in r ng 2 thread onto a reduced frontportion of the flange. Removably secured to the inner end of the couplerhead is a valve disc 13 carrying a suitable valve facing 14. These valveParts a e o n d n he th aded st m f a p u 15 centrally held by thecoupler-head 5', the valve members 13, 14 being removably held on theplug and stem thereof as by a washer 16 and retainer nut 17. The couplerhead 5 and the valve 13, 14 thereon will at times be referred to as thehead-and-valve element.

The coupler head 5 is coaxially mounted in a valve case or housing 20having longitudinal slidable relation to the coupler head and hereinshown as a hollow cylindrical element containing a valve chamber 21 andforwardly thereof a diaphragm chamber 22. These chambers are separatedby a transverse wall 23 integral with the case 20 and centrallyapertured for passage of the coupler-head and for slide bearingengagement with the latter as at 24. Further bearing support for thecase 20 on the head 5 is provided by a cupped front plate or cap 25centrally apertured for slide bearing on the head as at 26 The front cap25 provides front closure for the diaphragm chamber 22 and also clampsthe outer margin of the diaphragm 11 between it and the valve caseproper 20, being secured to the latter as by a series of cap screws 27,Figs. 1 and 7.

The chambered casing 20 is closed at the rear by a conforment back plate30. The rear face of the case 20 is annularly recessed to seat a gasketring 28 to be clamped between the back plate 30 and the case 20 to forma fluid seal at the rear of the valve chamber 21. The back plate 30 isintegrally formed at two diametrally opposed peripheral portions withcircumferentially spaced rearward extensions or lug pairs 31, 31 and 32,32, Figs. 1, 2 and particularly Fig. 6. These opposite pairs of spacedlugs carry a flat rear cover 33. V

In the position of the coupler-valve unit 1 as a Whole as shown in thedrawings merely by way of illustration, the lug pairs 31, 31 and 32, 32are at the top and bottom respectively. Hence merely for convenientidentification the corresponding portions of the coupler-valve unit as awhole will be referred to as top and bottom, and the intermediateportions as the sides." It will be understood, however, that the unitmay be applied to the given threaded receiving connection such as C inany convenient angular position about its longitudinal axis.

The rear cover 33 mentioned is conformed at the top and bottom to theherein cylindrical shape of the valve case 20 and of the back plate 30including the paired lug extensions 31, 32. It is of reduced width withside edges 33a, 33a set in from the periphery of the valve case assembly20, 25, 30, noting Fig. 6, to give access to and travel space for thecoupler actuating rods 51, 51 to be described.

Said rear cover 33 with the back plate 30 and the lug extensions 31, 31and 32, 32 thereof define a laterally open housing presenting acompartment 34 for the cam means and manual operating cam shaft 50 to bereferred to. Also it has a central transverse slot 33b, extendinghorizontally in the illustrated position of the unit, giving operatingclearance for the coupler-operating yoke 50 as will become apparent. Asbest seen in Fig. 6, the rear cover 33 is demountably held in place asby cap screws 35', 35 and 36, 36 in longitudinal line with and extendingthrough the respective top and bottom lug pairs 31, 3i and 32, 32 andinto the rear peripheral portion of the valve case 20. Additionalsecuring cap screws 37, 3'] and 38, 38 may be provided for the sides ofthe back plate 30. If desired longitudinal through-bolts may be used atthe locations of and in place of the rearscrews 25-38 and the frontscrews 27.

It will be apparent that the whole valve-housing assembly 20, 25, 30 andincluding the cam-compartment cover 33 is rigidly connected as astructural unit which in the entirety is adapted for bodilyslidingmovement on and relative to the coupler-head in the direction of theircommon longitudinal axis. These two main elements are hereinconcentrically disposed.

Noting particularly Fig. 2, also Figs. 3 to 5, a coil spring 39 isprovided in the valve chamber 21, longitudinally centrally thereof andhearing at one end against the rear wall of the chamber 21 formed by theback plate 3% and at the other end against the rear face of the valvedisc 13, or the washer 16 thereat, Where it may be centered as by theretainernut 17. It is evident that said valve disc 13 and its facing 14are fixed at the inner end of and in effect form a part of thecouplerhead 5. Hence, assuming the coupler'head 5 to be stationary, asfor example when the unit is installed upon a threaded connection as inFig. l, the main coil spring 39 acts to thrust the entire describedvalve case 20 and connected parts rearwardly and to maintain the centralannular valve seat 29 in closed position against the valve 13, 14 asillustrated in Fig. 2,.also Figs. 4 and 5. Said valve seat 29concentrically surrounds the coupler-head 5, being formed upon the rearface of the previously mentioned transverse wall 23 of the case 20.

The coupler-valve device 1 of the invention further comprises movablemeans for coupling engagement with the threaded connection of the tankor other receiver, together with operating means under a single manualcontrol for positively shifting the movable coupler means into andholding it in installed position and also for opening the valve;

Noting particularly Figs. 3, 4 and 5 as well as Fig. 2, there is securedto the projecting forward portion of the coupler-head 5 a mounting blockor carrier 4-0 for the quick-acting coupler members or connectors 41,41. These comprise an opposed pair of segments or fingers which in thisembodiment have external threading at the outer convex faces as at42,42. The thread is of appropriate form and pitch for meshingengagement with the internal threading of a standard or average threadedconnection C such as shown in the several views. These couplers 41, 41are of general L-shape, each having a lateral leg 43, 43. The carrierblock 40 is laterally recessed at opposite sides of the coupler-head 5to receive the annular intermediate portion of the couplers 41 and tomount the latter for rocking each similarly but oppositely about atransverse pivot, vertical in the views shown, as provided by pins 44,44 shown extending through the top and bottom portions of the carrierblock 40 above and below the lateral recesses thereof. Relatively lightcoil springs 45, 45 supported between the outer portions of the legs 43of the couplers and the front cap 25 of the valve housing normally urgethe coupler pair inwardly toward each other into the disengaged positionof Figs. 2 and 3, wherein they lie gen erally parallelly along theadjacent portion of the head 5 behind the nose 6 of the latter.

The respective lateral legs 43, 43 of the couplers are operativelyconnected with an actuator or actuating means at the rear of the valvecase 20. Such means comprises the transverse yoke 50 previouslymentioned, extending herein horizontally across the unit in the chamber34 between the back plate 30 and the slotted cover 33. The outer ends ofthe yoke 50 are connected respectively to the coupler legs 43 herein bymeans of parallel rigid rods 51, 51 extending slidably through a portionof the peripheralwall of the valve case 20 and the front and rearclosure members 25, 3t) thereof. At the projecting front ends theconnection rods 51 extend through the respective legs 43 and havepivotal connection with them as by means of ball heads 52 on the rodsseating in concavities at the front faces of the respective legs 43. Atthe rear the connection rods 51 are threaded through the correspondinglateral extremities of the yoke 50 where upon suitable adjustment withrespect to the threaded couplers 41 the rods may be secured as by locknuts 53. Thus the yoke 50 and the rods 51 constitute a rigid frame inthe nature of a cross head movable longitudinally on and relative to thehousing elements 20, 25, 3t) of the unit. Rearward movement of thisframe acts to swing the couplers 41 outwardly away from each other,about their pivots 44, and into connective engaging position of Figs. 4and 5.

The described coupling engagement of the couplers 41 is accomplished bycam means under the manual control of the operator. Said means hereincomprises a trans verse diametrally disposed cam shaft 60 rotatablymounted in and extending through the open compartment 34- between theback plate 30 and rear cover 33, at right angles to the yoke 50, thatis, vertically in the illustrated position of the device. Said cam shaft60 is both rotatively and bodily slidably positioned by and between theindividual rearwardly extending lugs 31, 31 and 32, 32 of the top andbottom pairs thereof. It is located and supported in the direction ofits axis, that is, transversely of the unit body, herein by means of acollar 61 secured to the projecting bottom end of the shaft 60 below thelower lugs 32, 32, as by a pin 62. The cam shaft 6% is of a length toproject at opposite sides of the unit body and at the projecting upperend receives the hub 63, pinned to it as at 64, of ahand lever 65.

As best seen in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the yoke 50 has a central concavity 54forwardly open toward the cam shaft 60, for coaction with a relativelysmall disc cam 66 on the shaft and having an abrupt riser portion ofsomething over in extent. In the released or inactive position of thethreaded couplers 41, Figs. 2 and 3, this connection-actuating cam 66has a forward position away from and at the opposite side of the camshaft from the concavity 54 of the yoke 50. Starting from such positionturning of the cam shaft 60 by the handle 65, in either direction,brings the cam 66 into rearward thrusting engagement with the concavecam face 54 of the yoke 50. This shifts the yoke 50 rearwardly and awayfrom the back plate 30 of the valve case 20. Through the rigidconnecting rods 51 the outer ends of the coupler legs 43 are accordinglyswung back, throwing the threaded coupler segments 42 laterally outwardinto positive holding engagement with the internal threading of thereceiving inlet element such as C at which the unit is to be applied.Comparing Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that but a quarter turn or lessof the cam shaft 60 effects said coupling engagement for the fore end ofthe coupler-head 5. Also, by further comparing Figs. 4 and 5 it is seenthat a further quarter turn of the cam shaft in the same directionmaintains the described coupled engagement, by reason of thesubstantially 180 or greater extent of the connector-actuating cam 66.In said engaged position the rear medial portion of the yoke 50 mayenter the transverse slot 33b of the rear cover 33.

In the attached or use position of the coupler-valve unit 1 as in Figs.1 and 4, the nose 6 of the head 5 is in abuttive engagement with atransverse wall P rtion C of the threaded connection C, and the deviceas a whole is locked in that position by means of the described threadedcouplers 41. Hence the coupler-head 5 is in stalled in a fixed relationto the inlet connection C, in effect as though a rigid extension of thelatter. In this fixedly installed position of the device it is clearthat forward thrusting force applied at the rear of the valve housingassembly 20, 25, 30 will cause the latter to move in the longitudinalaxial direction, toward the connection C, opening the valve by movementof the annular seat element 29 forwardly away from the valve proper1314, toward the right in Fig. 5, simultaneously compressing thevalve-seating spring 39. Fluid from the supply entering the valvechamber at the inlet 2 is then free to pass to and through the openvalve seat 29 and through the radial ports 9 of the coupler head 5 andout through the axial bore of the latter into the tank T via the thenopen valve V.

area-07a The described valve opening action is efiected by the sameoperating handle 65 and cam shaft 60, by turning of the latter, in thesame direction, through a further approximate quarter turn.

For this purpose the cam shaft 60 carries additional cam means shown asa pair of relatively large disc cams 70, 71 symmetrically disposed atopposite sides of the smaller coupling-operating cam 66 and with theriser portions substantially diametrically opposite to the latter. Asseen in Fig. 5 these valve earns 70, 71 upon appropriate further turningof the cam shaft 60 beyond the coupled Fig. 4 position, in the assumedclockwise direction with reference to Figs. 4 and 5, are brought intothrusting engagement with the main transverse wall of the back plate 30.This causes the housing unit 20, 25, 30 as a Whole to be slid forwardly,to the right in Fig. 5, upon and in guided relation to the nowstationary coupler-head 5. It is further noted with respect to Fig. 5that the angular extent of the smaller coupler cam 66 is such that itmaintains the rear-thrust position of the yoke 50 with reference to theaxis of the cam shaft; hence the rods 51 and the coupler legs 43 retaintheir rearward position relative to the stationary head 5 and thethreaded couplers 41 remain spread into the attaching position, Figs. 4and 5.

From the active coupled and open position of Fig. 5, which isautomatically maintained by the described cam means, the device may atany instant and at the will of the operator be closed off and uncoupledfrom the tank T and its valve V, either by reverse rotation of theoperating handle 65, or in the illustrated example by further turningthe crank shaft in the same direction to carry the handle through acomplete 360 turn and back to initial position.

In Figs. 8 to 11 I have illustrated a modified form of coupling for usewith tanks and the like having externally threaded nipples or receivingconnections as frequently encountered in the field of liquifiedpetroleum gas equipment and other applications. Parts not otherwise herementioned may be the same as in Figs. 1 to 6. Hence only the forwardportion of the coupler-valve unit need be shown in Figs. 8 to 11,including the projecting forward portion of the coupler-head 5 and theadjacent front cam 25 of the housing assembly.

In this instance the coupling carrier block 140 on the head 5 isenlarged lengthwise to accommodate an additional pair of pivot pins 200,at opposite sides of the head 5. These provide separate pivotal mountfor the internally threaded coupler segments 141, 141 having rearwardarms 147 respectively pivotally connected at 148 to the longitudinalforward-extending feet 149 of hell crank levers having lateral legs 143corresponding to the operating legs 43 of the previous form. Theselateral legs 143 are pivotally connected to the operating rods 51, 51already described.

It will be obvious from a comparison of Figs. 8, 9, l and 11respectively with the corresponding Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 that by similarmanipulation of the operating handle 65 the internally threaded segments141, starting from the open position of Figs. 8 and 9, are closedinwardly toward each other and into positive coupling engagement withthe externally threaded connection CX. The feet 149 fixed on the laterallegs 143 are swung outwardly about the fixed pivot points 144, therebytilting the rear arms 147 of the coupler segments outwardly and forcingthe internally threaded segmental couplers 141 inwardly about the fixedpivots 200 and into the coupled position of Figs. 10 and 11. In thelatter figure the valve body or housing has been shifted forward to thevalve-open position, similarly as in Fig. 5. It is noted that in thisinstance the coupler-head 5 is initially placed in abuttive relation tothe externally threaded connection CX by engagement of thecircumferential flange 7 of the head 5 against the rim of saidconnection.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodi- 6 ments thereofillustrated and described herein, and I set forth-its scope in myfollowing claims:

1. A coupler-valve unit for quickly attaching fluid supply lines tothreaded receiving connection-s, said unit comprising :a tubular headhaving a connector-engaging outer delivery end, a valve case defining amain housing and manipulating body for the unit, said case slidablymounted on the head and defining a valve chamber surrounding the innerend of the head, said chamber closed at the rear and having a lateralsupply inlet and a central outlet to the head, coactive valve means onand between the head inner end and the chamber outlet for opening bysliding movement of the valve case on and relative to the head, threadedsegmental coupler members pivotally supported at the fore end 'of thehead for lateral coupling engagement with a like-threaded receivingconnect-ion, a yoke at the rear of and separate from the valve case,rigid members connecting the yoke with the coupler members andlongitudinally slidably guided on and by the valve case, a transversecam shaft perpendicular to the yoke and independently rotatably held onand by the valve case with capacity for longitudinal shifting of thelatter from and toward the yoke and the cam shaft, cam means on theshaft rotatively engagea'ble oppositely with the yoke and with the valvecase respectively, and means to turn the shaft following placement ofthe coupler nose at the receiving connection thereby to pivot thecoupler members into coupling use position [and to shift the caselongitudinally on and relative to the head thereby to open the valve.

2. A coupler-valve unit for quickly attaching fluid supply lines tothreaded receiving connections, said unit comprising an elongate tubularcoupler head-and-valve element having a connection-engaging nose and arear portion including a disc valve, -a valve case defining a mainhousing and manipulating body for the unit, said case slidablyencompassing the rear portion of said head-andvalve element andincluding a valve seat for the valve thereof, laterally movable threadedcoupler means slidably and pivotally mounted on said head-and-valveelement adjacent the nose thereof, a rotary cam shaft with slide bearingmeans supporting it on the valve case with capacity for the latter tomove from and toward the shaft in the direction of the longitudinal axisof the headand-valve element, a connective actuator for the couplermeans, and cam means on the shaft effective on turning thereof to movethe coupler means into connection engaging position and to slide thevalve case on and relative to the head-and-valve element thereby topresent an open fluid passage between the valve and valve seat.

3. A coupler-valve unit according to claim 2 wherein the coupler meansare externally threaded for coupling engagement within internallythreaded connections.

4. A coupler-valve unit according to claim 2 wherein the coupler meansare internally threaded for coupling engagement with externally threadedconnect-ions.

5. A quick-attaching manual device for coupling pressure-fluid supplylines to and controlling fluid flow at threaded tubular connections,said device comprising a generally cylindrical hand-conformant casedirectly defining a valve chamber having :an inlet and a forward centraloutlet with a rear-facing valve seat in said chamher, a tubular head inand having a nose projecting forwardly from the case to enter and abut athreaded tubular connection, the case being slidable on and sealedrelative to said head, the inner end of the latter extending through thevalve seat in the case chamber and carrying a valve having closingengagement therewith in normal rear position of the case, spring meansin the case chamber urging the case to such rear position, a jaw carrieron the nose, a pair of opposed segmental threadedtubularconnection-engageable jaws pivoted on the carrier and havinglateral arms, the case longitudinally slidably carrying a rigid frameconnected at the front to the jaw arms and having a cross portion at therear of the case,

'7 and rotary earn means acting between the case and the frame with thelatter serving first as cam-controlled actuator for the jaws to engagethem with the threading of the tubular connection and then ascam-thrust-opposing abutment to effect valve-opening forward movement ofthe case on and relative to the nose.

6. A quick-attaching manual device for coupling pressure-fluid supplylines to and controlling fluid flow at threaded tubular connections,said device comprising a generally cylindrical hand-conformant casedirectly defining a valve chamber having an inlet and a forward centraloutlet with a rear-facing valve seat in said chamber, a tubular head inand having a nose projecting forwardly from the case to enter and abut athreaded tubular connection, the case being slidable on and sealedrelative to said head, the inner end of the latter extending through thevalve seat in the case chamber and carrying a valve having closingengagement therewith in normal rear position of the case, spring meansin the case chamber urging the case to such rear position, a jaw carrieron the nose, a pair of opposed segmental threadedtubular-connection-engageable jaws pivoted on the carrier and havinglateral arms, a rigid frame comprising a rear cross-piece andlongitudinal legs on the case with capacity for mutual relativelongitudinal movement, the frame legs operatively connected to therespective jaw arms, plural rotary cam means acting between the framecross-piece and the case, and a manual element to turn the cam meansfirst to eifect threaded engagement of the jaws with the mouth threadingof a tubular connection so as to anchor the frame thereto and then toshift the case bodily forward to unseat and open the valve.

7. A quick-attaching manual device for coupling pressure-fluid supplylines to and controlling fluid flow at threaded tubular connections,said device comprising a generally cylindrical hand-conformant casedirectly defining a valve chamber having an inlet and a forward centraloutlet with a rear-facing valve seat in said chamber, a tubular head inand having a nose projecting forwardly from the case to enter and abut athreaded tubular connection, the case being slidable on and sealedrelative to said head, the inner end of the latter extending through thevalve seat in the case chamber and carrying a valve having closingengagement therewith in normal rear position of the case, spring meansin the case chamber urging the ease to such rear position, a jaw carrieron the nose, a pair of opposed segmental threadedtubular-connectionengageable jaws pivoted on the carrier and havinglateral arms, a transverse shaft rotatably disposed at the rear of thecase with capacity for axial movement of the case perpendicularly to theshaft axis, a rigid frame comprising a rear cross piece and lateral rodsin slidable relation to the case, said rods respectively connected atthe front ends to the arms of the corresponding jaws, and cam means onthe shaft engageable on turning thereof first with the frame cross-pieceto pivot and anchor the jaws to the threading of a tubular connectionand thereafter with the case to advance it into open position of thevalve thereof by thrust upon the case reacting through the rigid frameto the threadedly anchored jaws.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,052,088 Prettyman Feb. 4, 1913 1,767,391 Muller June 24, 19301,977,118 De Mattia Oct. 16, 1934 2,444,451 Kelso July 6, 1948 2,484,924Anderson Oct. 18, 1949

